More and more men are realizing that skincare isn’t just something for women or the rich and famous.
Gone are the days of tight, smooth skin—instead they’ve been replaced by dark eye circles, large pores, and a dull complexion.
I remember the first time I noticed the canyon of a wrinkle across my forehead and the ensuing panic that came with imagining my face looking like an old leathery bag. Thankfully, there are solutions for the modern man with tired skin.
Even a decade ago, men with degrading skin health had little choice but to resign to their fate: droopy under eye bags, the loss of a chiseled jawline in exchange for a chicken gobble, and worst of all, jowls.
Today, however, men’s skincare products are on the rise and there’s an effective solution for any skin issues you may be experiencing. Signs of premature aging can be reversed and better yet, prevented.
If you’re looking to age with grace like a fine wine but don’t know where to start, you’ll have six complete skincare systems to choose from by the end of this article.
Skip Ahead
6 Best Men’s Skincare Sets in 2023
Best Overall: Geologie Complete Skincare Trial
Geologie’s Complete Skincare Trial provides the full set of their flagship, science-backed skincare products.
The brand has carved out a solid place for itself in the growing industry of men’s skincare by making easy-to-use products that focus on simple, effective ingredients. Geologie’s products can be bought in generic, effective formulations or personalized regimens based on your answers to a detailed skincare quiz.
The Complete Skincare Trial includes Geologie’s Everyday Face Wash, Vital Morning Cream, Repairing Night Cream, and Nourishing Eye Cream.
The Everyday Face Wash is formulated with 2% salicylic acid, which helps to reduce inflammation and combats acne, oil, and dirt. The Complete Trial Set provides two bottles of the Everyday Face Wash—one for the shower and one for the sink.
Besides being convenient, I appreciate that they give you the same amount of face wash as they do moisturizer by volume. I’ve used other skincare sets where the volumes aren’t identical, and I’ve run out of face wash before moisturizer or vice versa.
The Vital Morning Cream is formulated with SPF to provide all day protection from damaging UV rays. Sunscreen is a vital component to any skincare routine and to preventing premature aging of the skin, and Geologie’s morning moisturizer ensures that you’re lathered up every day.
The Repairing Night Cream is made with retinol, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid, which is pretty much the holy trinity of skincare. Retinol promotes new cell growth in the skin, which minimizes and erases wrinkles and fine lines, and keeps the skin youthful and plump.
Niacinamide is a calming agent for the skin which reduces redness and hyperpigmentation, and also increases elasticity. Hyaluronic acid penetrates deep into the layers of skin to lock in moisture and hydrate your skin from the inside out.
Lastly, the Nourishing Eye Cream features kojic acid, which inhibits melanin production and lightens dark eye circles beneath the eyes. This eye cream is also formulated with hyaluronic acid and caffeine, which deeply moisturizes the sensitive skin beneath your eyes and rejuvenates it.
What I Like
This skincare set uses high-quality ingredients that are known for rejuvenating and hydrating tired skin.
The morning and evening routines for this set are at most three steps, which keeps skincare simple while packing a punch.
Geologie offers servious bang for your buck through regular discounts of the Complete Skincare Trial, so you can test it out without hurting your wallet.
What I Don’t Like
The moisturizing creams are slightly thick, which can feel uncomfortable if you struggle with oily skin.
What Other Reviewers Say
Reviews for Geologie’s Complete Skincare Trial are overwhelmingly positive. Satisfied customers reported brighter, smoother skin, less acne, ease of use, and less puffy, brighter under eye areas.
Of the negative reviews I could find, most reviewers said they hadn’t seen noticeable changes in the health of their skin after weeks of use.Â
The Verdict
Geologie’s skincare set checks the major boxes of healthy skin maintenance in an easy-to-use system. High-quality ingredients and simple formulations combine to protect and restore your skin with little effort.Â
If you want to treat your skin well and not think too hard about how to do it, Geologie is a great place to start.
If you want to treat your skin well and not think too hard about how to do it, Geologie is a great place to start. Their well-known Complete Skincare Trial set checks the major boxes of healthy skin maintenance in an easy-to-use system.
Best for All Skin Types: Lumin The Complete Skincare Gift Set
Lumin’s Complete Skincare Gift Set offers a slightly more complex skincare system than Geologie, and at a premium price. That being said, each of the products of their skincare set can be formulated for dry, oily, combination, or all skin types, which may make it an ideal set for your needs.
The full skincare set includes their Charcoal Cleanser, Moisturizing Balm, Exfoliating Rub, After Hours Recovery Oil, Anti-Wrinkle Serum, and Dark Circle Defense.
While you could get a solid skincare routine out of their cleanser, moisturizer, and exfoliator alone, Lumin adds in some spot treatment products to ensure you’re fully equipped to pamper your face day after day.
The inclusion of charcoal in their flagship cleanser helps to detoxify your skin and balance pH levels, which keeps your skin from becoming dry or oily. The charcoal is a light exfoliant, which, combined with the use of their Exfoliating Rub, ensures you’re clearing dead skin cells and clogged pores with every use, leaving brighter skin.
The After Hours Recovery Oil and Anti-Wrinkle Serum are packaged as stick applicators, which makes them easy to apply to problem areas of your skin. Both of these products can be used to spot-treat fine lines, wrinkles, and dry patches of skin.
What I Like
Lumin uses top-tier ingredients in their formulations, like charcoal, shea butter, and rosemary leaf extract, which help to rejuvenate and hydrate skin.
Two different exfoliating products ensure that pores are deeply cleaned and shrunk and dead skin cells are cleared away.
Each product can be formulated for men with dry, oily, combination or all skin types.
What I Don’t Like
Lumin doesn’t have a moisturizer with SPF in this skincare set.
This set is fairly expensive compared to competing skincare systems.
What Other Reviewers Say
Lumin’s Complete Skincare Gift Set has positive reviewers in droves. Many common sentiments highlighted the powerful exfoliators that left their skin clear and fresh. Others reported positive results through the reduction of acne, ingrown hairs, and dry skin.
There were very few negative reviews, but the ones I found reported seeing few results after several weeks of use. It seems like there’s a few of these reviews for any skincare system I’ve researched, which I think can be chalked up to some people having sensitive skin.
The Verdict
Lumin’s Complete Skincare system packs some heavy hitters at a high price point. They do a good job of covering the staples of an effective skincare routine and including some niche skincare treatments, but noticeably lack other inclusions like SPF.Â
If you’ve got a bigger budget and want target treatment options for all skin types, Lumin is a great place to start.
You get the basics like face wash, moisturizer, and an exfoliating scrub. But you also get Lumin's highly effective Dark Circle Defense, Anti-Wrinkle Defense, and Recovery Oil so you can spot treat your specific skin care issue.
Best on a Budget: Tiege Hanley Level 1 Skincare System
Tiege Hanley is a long-term player in the men’s skincare game and their skincare sets show why. With four different skincare systems at customer’s disposal, they provide a wide variety of sets for men with differing skincare needs.
Their base level system, the Level 1 Skincare System, gets my pick for the most affordable skincare set. Tiege Hanley gears their sets for subscription use, meaning you sign up and they deliver the set to your doorstep each month. As such, with a subscription purchase the Level 1 system only costs $30.
The low price does mean that this set comes with fewer products, but the Level 1 products cover some major bases. The products included in this base-level skincare set are Tiege’s WASH, SCRUB, and AM and PM moisturizers.
WASH is a gentle facial cleanser that helps balance pH levels, SCRUB is Tiege’s exfoliating scrub, the AM moisturizer has SPF 10 for light UV protection, and the PM moisturizer uses niacinamide to soothe and hydrate skin overnight.
While the Level 1 System doesn’t include a hydrating serum or eye cream, these products can easily be added through the purchase of their Level 2 or 3 skincare systems.
What I Like
Tiege Hanley makes it easy to step into a simple and effective skincare routine with little upfront cost.
Their subscription option makes it easy to ensure your skincare regimen is stocked, month after month.
Their products come in TSA-compliant sizes, meaning you can bring your skincare set wherever you go.
What I Don’t Like
The Level 1 skincare set doesn’t include an eye cream or hydrating serum.
What Other Reviewers Say
Tiege Hanley’s Level 1 Skincare System has largely positive reviews. Satisfied customers reported this skincare system as being a helpful entry step into men’s skincare and saw healthy benefits to their skin quickly.
Many of the negative reviews I found had to do with the volume of product provided in Tiege’s skincare sets. The products are meant to last 30 days, but many found that they ran out before the month was up.
The Verdict
If you’re looking to dip your toes into men’s skincare and don’t know where to start, Tiege’s Level 1 System is a great choice. The simple set packs some of the staples of a good skincare routine, like an exfoliating scrub and moisturizer with SPF, and the subscription option allows you to hit cruise control on your skincare regimen supply so you can keep your skin healthy with minimal effort.
Best Natural Skincare: Caldera + Lab The Regimen
Those who prefer natural ingredients and holistic treatment will be hard-pressed to find better products than what Caldera + Lab offers. The Regimen skincare set is small but mighty, containing only three products, but each is formulated with potent, natural ingredients and is 100% non-toxic.
Their facial cleanser, The Clean Slate, is formulated with wild-harvested ingredients like fireweed, yarrow, and juniper berry, all of which are known to reduce inflammation and balance your skin’s pH.
The Base Layer, Caldera’s morning moisturizing cream, offers complete defense against environmental stress and pollution through the use of natural ingredients and plant stem cells. Notable ingredients in this moisturizer include Elkhorn sea moss, the Imortelle flower, and encapsulated microalgae.
Last but not least, Caldera + Lab’s flagship multifunctional serum, The Good, is formulated with 27 active botanicals to be a powerhouse of hydration and rejuvenation for your skin. Designed to be used in the evening, The Good helps to tighten skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles through the use of apricot kernel oil, dandelion, and elderflower.
The best part about The Good? It’s clinically-proven to improve the health of skin for men with dry, normal, and oily skin.
What I Like
Each product uses powerful, natural ingredients that help to brighten and improve skin health without causing irritation.
The Good is clinically-proven to be effective at reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and boosting elasticity and skin tone.
With at most two steps, this is a simple skincare routine with powerful products.
What I Don’t Like
The Full Regimen doesn’t have any SPF inclusion or exfoliators.
It’s very expensive, which may be prohibitive for many men.
What Other Reviewers Say
The Regimen has a large number of positive reviews, with many customers reporting improvements in the texture and brightness of their skin. Those who had dry skin experienced powerful hydration from The Good, and many others saw the reduction of their fine lines and wrinkles.
Of the negative reviews I could find, most reported that The Good wasn’t helpful for oily skin. The Good is an oil-based serum, which can be uncomfortable if too much product is used and you already struggle with oil overproduction.
The Verdict
Caldera + Lab’s The Regimen is an impressive marriage of science, natural ingredients, and skincare, but can be prohibitively expensive for many. However, if you’re passionate about using natural, non-toxic products with sustainable harvesting practices, Caldera + Lab is an excellent choice.Â
If instead you’re looking for a cheap, easy skincare regimen to get your feet wet, you’ll find better options in this article.Â
Caldera + Lab’s The Regimen is an impressive marriage of science, natural ingredients, and skincare, but may be prohibitively expensive for many. However, if you’re passionate about using natural, non-toxic products with sustainable harvesting practices, Caldera + Lab is an excellent choice.
Most Customizable: Oars and Alps Build Your Own Kit
Oars and Alps offers a competitive line of men’s skincare products and gives you the option to create your own custom regimen. The system is incentivized, in that the more products you add to your regimen, the greater discount you get.
This is a great option for guys who may want to dabble in skincare, but don’t want to purchase a 5-step system with three products they don’t know what to do with. If you only want a face wash and moisturizer, start with that, and you can easily add in an eye cream, exfoliator, or moisturizer with SPF as you get more comfortable.
Oars and Alps’ Gentle Foaming Face Wash is fairly basic, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to face wash. As long as it gently cleanses the skin, that’s a big step in the right direction.
By way of moisturizers, Oars and Alps offers a Face and Eye Cream combination product, which is convenient. Guys who’d like more targeted hydration or eye treatments will do well with the Wake Up Eye Stick and Wake Up Eye Serum.
For guys who struggle with oily skin, Oars and Alps offers an Oil Attacker Face Mask, which helps to rebalance the skin to prevent excess sebum production and unclog pores. This face mask is also formulated with niacinamide, which helps to soothe irritated skin and even the skin tone.
What I Like
Oars and Alps has a solid lineup of skincare products that you can mix and match to make your custom regimen.
The more products you add to your regimen, the bigger your overall discount.
Has a wide variety of options to accommodate men with varying skincare needs.
What I Don’t Like
It can be a bit expensive, even with the discount.
No subscription option for the Build Your Own Kit.
What Other Reviewers Say
Oars and Alps’ skincare products generally have very positive reviews, with happy customers reporting smoother, healthier skin and no irritation from consistent use. Other reviewers noted that the products are great for traveling and helped with their specific skincare needs, from oily to dry skin.
Of the few negative reviews I could find, most were generic complaints about not seeing the results they had hoped for.
The Verdict
While Oars and Alps may not offer the most scientifically-rigorous skincare products, they have proven results and a loyal customer base. If you’re curious about getting started with a skincare regimen but don’t want a full-sized set, Oars and Alps’ Build Your Own Kit is a great place to begin.
While Oars and Alps may not offer the most scientifically-rigorous skincare products, they have proven results and a loyal customer base. If you’re curious about getting started with a skincare regimen but don’t want a full-sized set, Oars and Alps’ Build Your Own Kit is a great place to begin.
Most Personalized: Proven Skincare
Speaking of scientifically-rigorous skincare, Proven Skincare is a brand that uses artificial intelligence and an in-depth skincare questionnaire to create a personalized regimen for you.
The founders of Proven created The Skin Genome Project, which is the most comprehensive skincare database ever created and won the 2018 Artificial Intelligence Award from MIT. How does a skincare database help you?
This project analyzed over 20,000 different skincare ingredients, over 100,000 individual skincare products, over 4,000 scientific publications, and much more to be able to recommend and create the ideal skincare regimen for you, with the ingredients that have been proven to be most effective with regard to your answer to their skincare questionnaire.
Proven creates three personalized products for each of its customers: a cleanser, day moisturizer, and night cream.
The Personalized Cleanser is meant to do the job of a cleanser, toner, and exfoliator in one simple product. It clears away dirt and excess oil from your skin, unclogs your pores, and then primes your skin so that your personalized moisturizers can be most effective.
The Personalized Day Moisturizer is designed to protect your skin from environmental pollutants and contains SPF to prevent UV damage. Lastly, The Personalized Night Cream helps to restore elasticity and repair damaged skin, leaving the skin tone smooth and supple.
What I Like
Proven’s personalized skincare products ensure that you’re getting the best possible ingredients when considering your age, skincare concerns, environment, and demographic.
With only three products, Proven packs in a comprehensive skincare routine that’s easy to use consistently.
Proven Skincare is clinically-proven to increase the softness, glow, and radiance of your skin.
What I Don’t Like
It’s very expensive and may not be approachable for skincare novices.
What Other Reviewers Say
Proven’s skincare products have rave reviews, with long-term customers of skincare products saying they finally found products that treat all of their concerns. Common positive reviews reported smoother, brighter skin, and the reduction of wrinkles and fine lines.
There were several negative reviews where customers reported oily skin, no results, and acne breakouts.
The Verdict
Proven’s skincare set is certainly the most scientific and technical system I’ve seen, but at a steep price. If you want skincare products that are personally tailored to where you live, how much sun exposure you get, your age, skincare concerns, and more, Proven is a great choice for you.
The Proven Skincare customization process is impressive. After 31 questions, three weeks, and a decent chunk of change, I got the best skincare products I’ve tried to date.
Top Things to Look Out for in a Skincare Set
When it comes to choosing a skincare set, the decision comes down to the results you’re looking to get, your budget, and your skincare experience.
If you’re completely new to skincare and just want to try out washing and moisturizing your face every day, find a set that doesn’t saddle you with six different products when you’re only looking to use two.
Many of us have specific skincare concerns, like oily skin or dark under eyes. If you’re mostly looking to take care of your eye baggage but wouldn’t mind polishing the whole mug, look for a skincare set with a dedicated eye treatment. These skincare sets will also come with an effective cleanser and moisturizer to keep your face in tip-top shape.
The final consideration comes down to your budget. If you’re new to skincare and not sure it’s for you, look for cheaper options so you can dip the proverbial toes.
If you’re a seasoned veteran of serums and night creams and have some cash to drop, look for the more scientifically-rigorous skincare brands, as premium products are usually accompanied by premium prices.
Get Your Set
Among these top six skincare sets should be a system that works for your budget, experience, and intended results.
If you’re looking for an all-around quality skincare set that uses natural, proven ingredients and won’t break the bank, I recommend Geologie’s Complete Skincare Trial.
If you want to treat your skin well and not think too hard about how to do it, Geologie is a great place to start. Their well-known Complete Skincare Trial set checks the major boxes of healthy skin maintenance in an easy-to-use system.
Those that want products specifically formulated for oily, dry, or combination skin will be well-served by Lumin’s Complete Skincare Set.
If you’ve got a small budget, you’ll struggle to beat Tiege Hanley’s Level 1 Skincare System.
Caldera + Lab’s Full Regimen is my top pick for all-natural, botanical skincare, and Oars and Alps’ Build Your Own Kit is great for those that want to choose the products in their skincare system.
Lastly, those with a big budget and an appetite for personalized skincare will love Proven Skincare’s products.
If you know a guy who could use a little TLC from a skincare set, share this article with him! He’ll thank you later when his face looks like flawless porcelain.
FAQs
Should guys have a skincare routine?
Men should have a skincare routine as this is one of the easiest ways to keep your skin healthy and combat the signs of premature aging.
In what order should you apply skincare products?
The correct order for applying skincare products is as follows:
1. Cleanse your skin with a gentle face wash.
2. If you have an exfoliating scrub, gently use this after cleansing.
3. If you have a serum, apply this next, as this penetrates deep through the layers of skin.
4. Apply your moisturizer next, which will stay on the surface of your skin and lock in the benefits of a serum.
5. Lastly, if you have an eye cream, apply this as the final step.
